Lebanon presidential vote postponed to May 15

Lebanon's parliament will hold a new session on May 15 to try to choose a president, after the Hezbollah-led bloc boycotted Wednesday's meeting, leaving lawmakers without the necessary quorum. "Speaker Nabih Berri has announced May 15 as the next date for a parliament session, given the lack of quorum Wednesday," said a statement published by the official National News Agency. President Michel Sleiman's mandate expires on May 25, and Lebanon is coming close to being left without a president at all, given the lack of consensus between the country's two rival blocs, one led by Hezbollah and the other by pro-Western parties. Lebanon is sharply divided over the conflict in neighbouring Syria, where Hezbollah is fighting alongside Syrian troops. Damascus dominated Lebanon for nearly 30 years until 2005, but still exerts significant influence over the small Mediterranean country through Hezbollah, which is also a close ally of Iran. Source: AFP